The bottlers



ma a s. WILE 82; H. LAGASSE.

CORK FEEDING MAGHINE.

Patented Dec. 16, 1890.

W TNESSE wma YEIIS cm, PNUTOLITHU, WASNINGTDN n c UNITED STATES PATENTOrricn.

SOL. \VILE AND HENRY LA CASSE, OF ROCHESTER, NElV YORK, ASSIGNORS TO THEBOTTLERS SPECIALTY COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CORK-FEEDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,062, dated December16, 1890. Application filed July 5, 1889. Serial No. 316,524. (Nomodel.)

To all whom zit may concern:

Be it known that we, SOL. WILE and HENRY LA OAssE, of Rochester, in thecounty of Monroe, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Oork-Feeding Machines, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Our invention relates to an improved feed 1o ing device, which isespecially adapted for machines for corking bottles and wiring the corksthereto, and has for its object the production of a simple and effectivedevice which shall feed corks or other like articles continur 5 ously,automatically, and with great rapidity; and to this end it consists,essentially, in a hopper preferably of conical shape, having a dischargeor feed tube leading therefrom, a feeder or conveyer in the lower partof the hopper, connected mechanism for revolving said feeder orconveyer, and a downward extension provided thereupon and preferablyextending into the feeding-tube.

It also consists in a cut-off for discharging the fed corks one by onefrom the feed-tube; and it furthermore consists in a compressor forreceiving the discharged cork and compressing the same to the desiredsize.

Our invention consists, still furthermore, in

0 the detail construction and arrangement of the parts, all ashereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

' In describing our invention reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which likelettersindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

' Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of our improved feedingdevice. Fig. 2 is an 40 enlarged detail of the feeder of our feedingdevice. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the detached feeder or conveyer of ourfeeding device, and Fi g. 4 is a detached view of the lower portion ofour feeding device with a modified con- 5 struction of the feeder orconveyer.

The frame A of our feeding device is of desirable size, form, andconstruction, and is supported by a suitable bracket B, mounted uponany'desirable form of table or other support B.

The lower part A of the frame or case A is preferably of conical shape,tapering downward. Atthe extremity of the conical-shaped portion A weprovide the feeding or discharge tube A which may be formed integralthere- 5 5 with, or, if desired, may be formed of a separate piecesecured to the portion A and opening thereinto. Extending verticallythrough the conical portion or hopper A is the feeder or conveyer C. Atthe upper part of the feeder or conveyer C is provided acylindricalshaped rod or shaft 0', journaled in a suitable bracket D,supported, preferably, by the top A of the frame A. Secured to theextremity C of said shaft Cf is a wheel or pulley E, which may, asillustrated, be provided with a grooved periphery. Arranged in suitableproximity to the frame A is ashaft F, of suitable size, mounted in abracket f, which may be mounted upon the table B. Secured to this shaftF is the wheel or pulley G, which is also illustrated as formed with agrooved periphery.

By reference to the drawings it will be seen that the plane in which thepulley G revolves is at right angles to the plane in which revolves thepulley E, and also that the pulley G is considerably below the plane ofthe said pulley E. A cord H transmits motion from the pulley G to thepulley E, and is deflected or turned in the desired manner by means ofidlers I, which, if desired, may be supported upon the bracket B for theframe A of th feeder.

The feeder or conveyor 0 is preferably formed integral with the shaft0', the lower part of said shaft being preferably flattened into a bandand then bent downward in a spiral curve. This band forming the feeder Ois inclined inward from the upper outside 0 edge, and preferably insubstantially the same angle as the lower part A of the frame A. Thelower extremity c of the feeder or conveyer O is of substantiallycylindrical shape, I and is extended for a short distance within 5 thefeeding or discharge tube A and is also preferably slightly inclinedinward from its upper edge.

The feeder or conveyer O is revolved in the direction indicated by thearrow, and it will be observed that as corks or other like articles arefilled into the hopper A, the same will be agitated upward by the saidrotation of the feeder or conveyer. This upward agitation of the corkswill prevent clogging of the same at the entrance of the dis- 5 chargeor feed tube A and will also tend to tip upward any cork which may belying crosswise of the hopper or lower part A of the frame.

By reference to the drawings it will be seen that the spiral C is ofgreater diameter at its upper part than at its lower part, thus allowingof the ready entrance of the corks thereinto, and also cansin g thesameto be arranged vertically on the interior of the spiral feeder r 5or conveyer. As the corks are agitated by the spiral-shaped feederorconveyer C, it will be observed that they will be constantly throwntoward the center thereof, and should they lie crosswise of this feeder,as described,

they will be tipped into a vertical position.

Vhen the corks are vertically arranged cen trally in the spiral C, theywill readily fall or feed therethrough. As the extremity c of saidfeeder or conveyer C extends within the feed-tube A it will be evidentthat when once a cork is in the center of the said spiralshaped feederit will be impossible for the same to be dislodged therefrom, and itwill be fed directly within the upper extremity of the feeding-tube Aand will then feed down the feeding-tube.

In order to discharge the corks one by one from the feed-tube, weprovide a cut-off \V. The preferable form of this cut-off consists,

3 5 as illustrated, of peculiarly-shaped arms V, which are arranged oneabove the other and enter slots (6 in the feeding-tube A \Vhen the lowerarm is within the tube, the upper arm is withdrawn, allowing a cork tofeed down to the lower arm. When the upper arm is within the tube,shutting off the feed of the corks to the lowe arm, the said lower armisthen withdrawn from the tube an d allows the downward feeding of thecork previously supported thereupon. Vv'hi le there may be various waysof operating this cut-off, we prefer to operate the same by means of acorkcompressor J. This compressor J, which preferably consists of afixed jaw J and a movable jaw K, hinged at 1 to the fixed jaw, issupported by an arm 13 of the bracket B, and just beneath the lower ordischarging extremity of the feed-tube A Pivoted at b to the bracket 13"is a lever L.

One arm of said lever is pivoted at lto the movable jaw K, and the otherarm 1s plvoted at Z to a connecting rod or link L. \Vhen, as presentlydescribed, the lever L is rocked, its forward arm will swing therearward jaw upon its pivot j' and will throw forward the pin Z, whichmovement is allowed by the loose connection of said jaw and forward armby said pin 7. Coincident with the approxima tion of the jaws J and K ofthe compressor,

the lever L, being swung on its pivot, forces said compressor downwardtoward the bottle.

Mounted. upon a shaft M, and preferably supported by the bracketf, is acam N. The shaft M is preferably rotated continually and operates tointermittently force the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw. A spring 0,connected to the lever L, serves to retract said jaw and insure theconstant contact of the link L with the cam N.

The arms of the cut-off \V are preferably hinged at uto a suitablesupport it", which may, if desired, rise from the arm B of the bracket13. Secured to the said arms is the rearward projection and guidedthrough said projection is the bar or red W, which is retained at thedesired position in said projection by means of a screw 20 or othersuitable device. The lower extremity of this bar V bears upon themovable jaw K of the compressor. \Vhen the movable jaw is approximatedtoward the fixed jaw, the bar \V" falls downward by gravity and forcesthe upper arm V out of the lower arm into the feedtube. lVhen themovable jaw is retracted, the said bar W is forced upward, and thereuponthe lower arm W of the cut-off is withdrawn from the feeding-tube andthe upper arm is forced thereinto. It will thus be seen that when thecompressor is opened a cork is automatically fed into the same.

Guided through the compressor is a plunger I, connected by a link P to alever R, pivoted at r to the bracket B. Pivoted to said lever at r is aconnecting-rod S, which is pivoted at s to a crank I mounted upon ashaft T, journaled in an arm 13 of the bracket B. The shaft F issuitably connected by gearing to the shaft T", and at the right time theplunger is forced through the compressor, forcing the cork into thebottle.

\Vhile we prefer to use our feeder in connection with the describedcutoff and compressor, it will be understood that we do not limitourselves to its use therewith.

At Fig. 4: we have shown a modified construction of our improved feedingdevice, in which the conveyer C is not formed integral with the shaft C,but is secured thereto, pref erably, by a hub c. In this modificationthe upper part of the conveyer is not formed by a spiral band, but of apeculiar-shaped agi tator, the working face of which tapers from the topdownward to the point C and is formed with a concaved face C The point Cextends, preferably, to the entrance of the discharge or feed tube, andextending downwardly from said point is the lower extremity c, which ishere also preferably of substantially cylindrical shape. Thisconstruction, while not as desirable as our preferable form, makes avery good feeder, but is not as efficient in preventing the corks fromclogging at the opening into the discharge or feed pas sage A Theoperation of our invention will be readily perceived from the foregoing,and it will be understood that considerable change may be made in thedetail construction and arrangement of the parts withoutdeparting fromthe IOC IIO

spirit of our invention. Hence we do not limit ourselves to its preciseform and construction. Having thus fully described our invention,

what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a feeding device, the combination of an inclosing-casing withinwhich the corks are placed, a feeder revolving within said casing forfeeding the corks, said feeder consisting of an outer spirally-bent bodyhaving a central feeding-passage, and an opening from the outside ofsaid body to the central opening, whereby when the feeder is operatedthe corks feed through the latter opening or openings into the centralopening, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a feeding device, the combination of an inclosingframe or shell, afeeder of greater area at its top than bottom revolving in said frame orshell and provided with a central opening of greater area at its topthan bot tom for allowing the ready registration of the corks with saidopening and for feeding them in the desired direction, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

3. In a feeding device, the combination of a suitable inclosing-frame, afeeder within said frame formed of less diameter at its lower than itsupper part, and a central opening or passage provided in said feeder andformed of less diameter at its base than at its top, substantially asset forth.

4. In a feeding device, the combination of a suitable inclosing-frame, afeeder within said frame formed of less diameter at its lower part thanat its upper and provided with a central opening or passage throughwhich the articles feed, and a depending cylindrical portion providedupon said feeder for guiding the fed articles, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

5. In a feeder, the combination of a suitable inclosing-case, a feederconsisting of a frame surrounding a conical-shaped central opening,openings provided in said feeder, through which the articles feedinteriorly to said central opening by the rotation of the feeder-frame,substantially as and for the pun pose specified.

6. In a feeding device, the combination of a suitable inclosing-frameand a discharge tube connected to said frame, of a feeder within saidinclosing-frame, a central opening provided in said feeder, to which thearcles feed, and a cylindrical extremity upon said feeder, whereby thearticles are guided within said tube, substantially as described.

7. In a feeding device, the combination of a suitable inelosing-frameformed with a dis charge or feed tube opening thereinto, with aspiral-shaped feeder or conveyer within the frame and formed of a band01' rod inclined. inward from its upper outer edge, and a substantiallycylindricalshaped extremity provided upon said spiral, and also formedof a band or rod inclined inward from its upper outer edge,substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. In a feeding device, the combination of a suitable inclosing-frame, adischarge-tube connected to said frame, a feeder or conveyer revolvingto force in one direction the article to be fed and having a centralpassage through which said article feeds in the opposite direction intosaid discharge-tube, and openings from the outside of said conveyer orfeeder to the said central passage for allowing the said article to feedinwardly to said central opening, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

9. In a feeding device, the combination of the inclosing-frame A, theshaft 0, havinga portion thereof bent into a spiral shaped feeder orconveyer, and a central passage Within said feeder, through whichpassage the articles feed, substantially as and for the purpose setforth. 7

10. In a feeding device, the combination of the inclosing-frame A, theshaft 0, formed with an integral feeder or conveyer, one extremity ofsaid conveyer being a spiral band or rod of substantially conical shape,and the opposite extremity being a band or rod of substantiallycylindrical shape, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a feeding device, the combination of the inclosing-framc A withthe shaft 0', formed with an integral feeder or conveyer, one extremityof said conveyer being a spiral band or rod of substantially conicalshape, and the opposite extremity of said conveyer being a band or rodof substantially cylindrical shape, inclined inward from the top edgethereof, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a suitable inclosing frame or case, a feederoreonveyer within the frame, said feeder tapering from the top downward,a feeding-passage leading from the feeder, and a cut-off for dischargingthe fed corks one by one, substantially as described.

13. In a feeding device, the combination of a suitable inclosingframe, adischarge-tube connected to said frame, a feeder or conveyer revolvingto force in one direction the article to be fed and having acentralpassage through which said article feeds in the opposite direction intosaid discharge-tube, openings from the outside of said feeder orconveyer to the said central passage for allowing the said article tofeed inwardly to said central opening, a cutoff connected to saiddischarge-tube for discharging the corks therefrom one by one, and acompressor in the discharge of the cutoff for receiving the corks,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

14:. In a feeding device, the combination of a suitable inclosing-frame,a discharge-tube connected to said frame, a feeder or conveyer revolvingto force in one direction the article to be fed and having a centralpassage through which said article feeds in the oppo off, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names, in the presenceof two attesting Witnesses, at Rochester, in the county of Monroe, inthe State of New York, this 24th day of May, 188.).

SOL. WILE. HENRY LA CASSE. Witnesses:

A. E. PARsoNs, FRANK M. Gown.

